GDG- If Sickles had stayed put!

[Alan D. Brunelle]

Tom Ryan wrote:
> Esteemed GDG Member Contributes:
>
>
> <<What are the arguments that it actually would have been better for Sickles
> to have been back on CR/LRT?  >>
>
> <<There could be any number of plausible scenarios.  Up to and including,
> the
> attack gets called off.  If the attack is still made, though, there are so
> many variables that almost any secnario can be imagined.  Would the attack
> have cone in up the Emmitsburg Road, or, would the axis of advance have
> shifted to come in against the Union line in a more frontal manner?  As far
> as pouncing on the flank of the 2nd Corps, if the 3rd Corps is back on the
> ridle, with its right on the 2nd's left, what open 2nd Corps flank is there
> to pounce on?>>
>
> 	My thought was that, if McLaws and Hood anchor on the ER, and move in that
> direction, they will likely hit the Union line at an angle and take the
> Second Corps at least partially in flank.  Looking at the map, the
> separation from the Third Corps position out to the ER is such a distance
> that their fire, while damaging, would not stop the onslaught of those two
> divisions supported by Hill's brigades.
>
> 	In other words, Cemetery Ridge and the ER are not running parallel, but
> rather converge toward each other while moving in a northern direction.
> This seems to be an advantage for the Rebels to, in effect, bypass the Third
> Corps (while still taking fire from them in the flank), and crashing into
> the Union line about where the left of Second Corps position was.
>
> 	Once that happens, Longstreet's rear would be protected by Anderson's
> division as it follows the action once McLaws and Hood move on up the road.
>
> 	Whenever I stand on Cemetery Ridge at the foot of LRT and look across to
> the ER, the thoughts described above come to mind, and I am still having
> trouble understanding how the Third Corps could have stopped Longstreet's
> attack from that position.
>
> Tom Ryan

Hi Tom -

That assumes three things:

(1) Longstreet would "ignore" the threat of 10,000 men to his flank/rear.

and

(2) Even if Longstreet could ignore that threat, you must further assume 
that Hood & McLaws would as well. (Something they did not do in the real 
battle.)

and

(3) Once in position, you must also assume that Sickle's corps would 
just sit there watching the Confederates march on by and attack the 2nd 
Corps. (If Sickle's & his men saw Longstreet's troops marching by /with 
their flank & rears facing them/ - I kinda doubt they'd just sit back, 
eat some popcorn, and enjoy the show.)

I think the other thing that is missing is that the Union 3rd Corps 
would not /all/ be back along Cemetery ride - certainly there would be a 
Union skirmish line out somewhere between there and the Emmitsburg road 
- if not on the road itself.

Alan